Sweet and Sour: The Matching Game
by epiphanies
Summary: *The first ff.net original Harry/Pansy story* Hogwarts plays a Matching Game with some very surprising matches!
1. Default Chapter

Sweet and Sour

  
  


Disclaimer: Miss Goddess Rowling is the owner of everything but the plot!

  
  


*This is going to continue if I get seven reviews, so please r/r!*

  
  


It was a fall day at Hogwarts during Harry Potter's fifth year, and he was in his dormitory with his friend Ron (for it was a Saturday) reading Flying With the Cannons for the third time over.

"Harry, ready to go down to the late breakfast?" Ron looked up from trying to prod Seamus's football poster for the tenth time, willing it to move with no success.

Harry shut the book quickly, "Yeah, Hermione will already be down there, working on her homework from Snape..."

Ron rolled his eyes "Like that's a great way to start the weekend. Snape."

Harry laughed as they walked down to the Great Hall (for Professor McGonagall had told them to go down there at twelve anyways for a special assembly).

When they entered, the five tables were set up (Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and one for the teachers).

As they sat down beside their fellow Gryffindors, Hermione hissed at them.

"It's about time! I've been up for hours! I've already finished the homework from Snape, Flitwick, and Binns, and gone for a walk!"

She would have continued to scold them except for the fact that Professor McGonagall had begun to talk.

"Staff, and students, I will make this short. This year Hogwarts will participate in the Matching Game in the honour of this year's Yule Ball!"

Most of the room exploded with excitement, Fred and George stomped their feet, and Hermione let out a sigh.

Harry leaned over to his two best friends.

"What's the..."

"The Matching Game, for those of you who don't know," P.M said loudly, "Is a large incantation that will affect each and every one of you. It is like a magical matchmaker. You'd feel a tug at the tip of your wand, which, if you followed and let it guide you, would lead you to a person that you would be extremely compatible with once you got to know. They would accompany you to the Yule Ball. There would be two months for you to get to know each other beforehand so that you would know what to expect. The catch is, your potential partner may be in any house, any year, but your opposite sex. The incantation will take place tonight at eight o clock. The spell includes everyone, even if you don't show up, so I suggest that you just show up so to not make a fool of yourself. Now, you may return to your weekends, see you tonight!"

Harry stood with Ron and Hermione.

"Oh, this will be....interesting..." Harry trailed as they headed back up to the Gryffindor tower. 

"Very," Ron glanced at Hermione, went brick red, and stared down at his shoes, which, Harry noticed, were not that interesting. 

"Yes, well, I think it's unnecessary rubbish. I mean, the Yule Ball isn't that important that we need to be thinking about it two months ahead! We could be doing our schoolwork..." Hermione sighed.

Harry snorted, then covered his mouth as Ron stifled a laugh when Hermione shot them a dirty look. 

The day went by quickly (Harry and Ron look turns on Harry's Firebolt).

Eight o clock came too soon.

As everyone filed down to the Great Hall, Harry fingered his wand.

Who would he be compatible with?

His heart thudded as he thought of the beautiful Ravenclaw sixth year, Cho Chang, but he doubted that she would be paired with him....he wondered if she would be paired with anybody considering her last boyfriend was killed last year...

Oh well, he could dream, couldn't he?

His thoughts were interrupted by P.M.

"Hello, students! Just a quick note before we begin; not matter how you may possibly, er, not like your partner, the spell is never wrong. Remember that. Now, wands out.......Matckika Normako Parisia!"

Harry immediately felt the tug at the tip of his wand, as he could tell other people could too. He followed the tugging, his heart pounding.

He saw Cho heading towards him, and his heart leaped, only to fall in disappointment when her wand pulled her past him.

He decided to close his eyes and wait for the tugging to stop.

It stopped very soon after he closed his eyes.

He opened his eyes slowly to take in a disgusted, blonde framed female face.

Pansy Parkinson.

Harry must have looked equally confused, because she began to shriek.

"Professor! Professor, there must be some mistake! Me and Potter! Me and HIM! I am so not compatible with him!"

Harry nodded mutely, his nose wrinkled.

Him and Pansy?

He completely agreed with her, there must have been some sort of mistake....

He shuddered as P.M appeared at their side.

"I assure you, Miss Parkinson that there is no mistake. Just.....get to know each other a little better..." she shrugged, then walked over to a protesting Ginny Weasley, who was paired with-"

Malfoy?!

Pansy seemed to have noticed this too, and began to shriek again.

"This is so dumb! Not fair...stupid! Me and Potter!? Absurd!"

"For the first time, I agree with you," Harry slumped up against a wall, still marveling at Ginny and Malfoy.

Harry was beginning to doubt the authenticity of this spell...

Just then, P.M waved her wand, and every couple sat alone at separate tables.

Pansy and Harry groaned in unison.

"I just don't believe this..." she complained softly, "I mean, almost all of the rest of the couples make sense! Brown and Thomas, Patil and Finnigan, Goyle and Bulstrode, Weasley and Granger..."

Harry blinked, and followed Pansy's gaze to see Ron and Hermione sitting together, Ron red faced and Hermione fidgeting.

"-and then there's Weasley and Draco and you and me! It just doesn't make sense! It should be switched."

"I know, but there's not much we can do, is there? All we can do is deal..." Harry shredded his paper napkin.

Pansy noticed this and suddenly smiled half-heartedly.

"Well, I guess you're right. This is actually pretty funny......barking...but funny... I guess we'll just have to make the best of the situation..."

Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise.

Pansy, too seemed surprised at her attitude, but she laughed.

"You know, this is so surreal. I can't believe I just said that....well....oh well.....you want something to eat?"

  
  
  
  


*This is gonna turn out really great.....next time I'll focus on Ginny's rough time...I'll come back to this unimaginable couple though! Please r/r, thanks for reading!

  
  



	2. Hidden Desires

Chapter 2 

Hidden Desires

  
  


*This chapter revolves around Ginny and Draco.

Ginny sighed as she twirled her fork around her fingers. 

She couldn't believe she was matched with the one person she truly hated, or truly hated her.....or something like that.....Draco Malfoy.

Even his name sounded menacing.....

"Penny for your thoughts, Weasley." Malfoy drawled.

Ginny rolled her eyes, "If I'm being forced to go to the ball with you then you might as well call me Ginny."

His eyes twinkled (Strange, she thought, it didn't look like an evil twinkle...).

"Well, Ginny, I'm quite famished....ready to feast? After all, we are in the Great Hall, and we do have utensils, so they must be planning on feeding us..."

"I"m sure they are, but they are sure taking a long time getting to it, don't you think?" she mumbled, running her hand through her hair.

He cocked his head at her as she did this, stared at her, like he could see beyond her eyes, into her soul....

Ginny blinked, then shook out her hair.

She had to be imagining things....Malfoy couldn't look at her like that.....could he?

No, she decided, There was no way that Malfoy could look at her like that....besides, he wasn't even paying attention to her at the moment, he was watching something across the room in amusement.

Ginny turned her head to look, and almost burst out in between laughter and horror. 

Harry was sitting at a table with Pansy Parkinson, a Slytherin fifth year who seemed to fancy Draco, but she was talking away with Harry like they had been friends for years. Harry looked quite surprised that they were actually talking, but was nodding with enthuse as she chattered on.

She turned back to her table to see Malfoy staring at her again, and he was smiling slightly.

Her eyes flashed uncertainly, "What?"

His eyes narrowed, as if she were a difficult puzzle he was trying to solve.

Finally, he said, "Settle down, Ginny. It's not a crime to look at you, is it?"

"Well, I don't know. Why don't you ask my brother, who's giving you the death stare at this very moment?" she retorted with venom.

Malfoy looked taken aback, but was still smooth with his answer, "Which one? I'll explain the situation- Oh, are you talking about Ronald? I think he's a little too busy for things like us, Ginny..."

He was right, Ginny found, as she turned to Ron's table.

Ron and Hermione had been matched, and Ron and Hermione were talking in low voices, Ron, with a hidden look in his green eyes, something like....lust.

Hermione just looked embarrassed, but kept talking.

Ginny sighed. 

Why did everyone else get along with their match?

"Oh poor Ginny........fretting over being my match?" Malfoy interrupted her thoughts.

She gritted her teeth, "Malfoy, I knew I could match you before this even happened, so I think this whole thing is silly..." she trailed, then smiled weakly over at her brother George, who was sitting with Alicia Spinnet, and was giving Ginny a sympathetic look.

Just then, a tiny house elf appeared beside the table.

"Can I help you?" it squeaked.

"Yes, we'd like a smoked ham with all the sides." Malfoy said smoothly, and there was a fat ham sitting on the table before Ginny could say a word otherwise.

"Hey! You didn't know what I wanted. That was really rude." Ginny exclaimed.

Malfoy rolled his eyes, "Ginny, I know a lot more than you think, and I happen to know that you love smoked ham, ok, so just don't get your panties in a twist and chow down."

Ginny stared at him.

How did he know she loved smoked ham?

"Don't you dare think that you have any affect on my panties, Malfoy."

"Oh, please, Ginny, call me Draco." he grinned evilly.

"Fine, Draco, but still, you could have asked....."

He sighed, "Fine, I'll ask you next time I know something about you that I can use to make things quicker and more helpful."

Ginny ran her fingers through her hair and smiled despite herself.

This bickering was actually like.....a sport. With the points rising with every remark, and the thrill was there......strictly from the competition, she told herself sternly.

"What's the smile for, Ginny?" Draco asked as he cut his ham.

"Oh, just thinking....nothing.....let's eat."

  
  


* This just keeps on getting more and more interesting....watch for the next chapter!*


	3. Unlikely

Chapter 3

Unlikely.....?

  
  


*I have had so much fun writing this! I'm gonna keep doing this, thank you for the reviews, you know who you are! Hope you enjoy!*

  
  
  
  


Hermione eyed Ron as he bit into a piece of fried chicken that they had ordered.

What did that look in his eyes mean?

She had noticed a gleam in his eyes while she talked to him that she had never noticed before.....

Now, she knew that she was an intelligent witch, but she was never the smarted girl in the boys department, and she knew it. She left that kind of thing to Parvati and Lavender (who were giggling with their matches at that very moment). Besides, at least they knew how to flirt!

Obviously Pansy Parkinson knew how to swoon men too (Hermione had never known!), for she was making Harry laugh so hard that he couldn't even eat, which was quite amazing, seeing as though Harry was like any other teenage boy: ate everything whenever he could.

"Herm, what are you thinking about?" Ron asked after he finished chewing.

"Oh, nothing.....still, I wonder why we were set to be matches? We're friends already!" Hermione said, trying to be subtle, seeing what his reaction would be.

"Yeah....I know..." Ron said quietly, then reached for his Butterbeer.

"So........didn't you say earlier this year that Fred and George suddenly made tons of money and bought you new dress robes?" she said after a moment of silence.

Ron nodded, "Still don't know where that money came from, though. Mum and Dad thought it was from the Wheezes, but they swear it wasn't. I figure Ludo paid up."

"Hmm..." Hermione mumbled.

What was happening? She and Ron had been friends for five years, and had been alone plenty of times. Why was it that this time, she felt like something was different?

"So, do you have new dress robes or ones from before?" Ron said, blushing (thinking of last year's, when she looked stunning in blue).

"Well, I do, actually.....but I don't want to ruin the surprise..." she winked at him, and he grinned, red faced.

Hermione was confused.

Why had she just winked cheekily like that?

Why had Ron gone the colour of the sun setting on a hot summer night?

Why were they matched together?

Why was everything turning out to be so........unlikely?

  
  


*What do you think? I like it....sweet and subtle..... Hope you liked! Next chapter up soon!*


	4. Coming Together sort of

Chapter 4

Coming Together (Sort of!)

  
  


*This chapter was the most fun to write other than the first......*

  
  


As all of the couples sat and talked (or sulked...) Professor McGonagall smiled and announced, 

"Everyone please get out of your seats, we have a little.....practise, so that you'll know what to expect to see your partner doing at the Yule Ball!"

Nearly everyone cheered, and jumped to their feet.

McGonagall beamed, and waved her wand, which made the tables vanish and a disco ball appeared, and loud music burst through the connecting chambers to the Great Hall.

The first song was a fast one, and Pansy grabbed Harry's hand.

"You up to it, Harry?" she asked, a sly look in her crystal blue eyes.

Harry looked at the brilliant colour, then responded, "Why of course!"

They made their way through the crowd to the middle of the dance floor, and Pansy began to shake and shimmy all over the place, making Harry look like he was barely moving.

"Come on, Harry! We're all trying something new today! Try it wild, baby!" she shouted over the music.

After hearing that last word, Harry decided that it was the perfect night to let loose.

Who really cared what he did?

So, he began to dance, twirling Pansy around until they were both dizzy and she collapsed in his arms. 

She smiled up at him, "You blew me away, Potter. I never knew you could move like that!"

Harry smiled down at her face, suddenly so warm, friendly....inviting.

"You brought it out of me......I didn't know I could do it either.....tonight has changed so many things..." Harry whispered in her ear.

"All for the best, too." she whispered back, then she wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled herself up.

A slow song started, and Harry pulled her close and began to sway to the rhythm of the music.

  
  
  
  


As Ginny fell into Draco's arms for the first slow song, she felt something tug at her heart.

She felt......nice.

Then she shook her head slightly.

Nice? Dancing with Draco Malfoy was not supposed to be nice!

It was supposed to be creepy....slimy....gross......but it wasn't.

It really, really wasn't.

His arms fit nicely around her, and her head had found the perfect spot on his shoulder...he was only slightly taller than she, so she was quite comfortable with her arms around his neck, feeling his breath on her shoulder, feeling each and every beat his heart pumped...

What!?

Why did she keep doing this?

She didn't like Malfoy, not even as a friend, so why did she keep thinking like that?

Like he was somebody she liked....somebody she loved....somebody like how she had felt about Harry in her first few years of Hogwarts...

So why did Draco's arms feel like home to her?

  
  
  
  


Hermione shivered as the slow danced continued. 

It seemed like it had been going on forever.

She and Ron were dancing...well, not very closely, probably because they were afraid that their friendship might end up awkward if they swayed that close...

But they were close enough that she could hear each breath he took, could feel his hand getting sweaty while holding her waist, the nervous look he had in his eyes, which she avoided, afraid that after the way they had been acting over the past hour that she might just drown in them...

For the awkward hour, Hermione had realized that her favourite colour was red, and that Ron's eyes looked like an enchanted bottomless sea. She also realized that if she kept thinking things like that, she would be in big trouble... 

  
  
  
  


*I loved writing this! The reviews just keep coming! Thank you to all those people who 1)don't flame and 2) review! I love constructive criticism, keep it coming! Thanks for everything! More to come!*


	5. Aftershock

Chapter 5

Aftershock

  
  
  
  


After the "Practise Yule Ball" was over, each couple walked back to their dormitory together.

  
  
  
  


Harry walked alongside Pansy to the entrance of the Slytherin dungeon, then they stood in awkward silence.

"Uh, well, I guess I'll see you on Monday..." Harry trailed, and turned to walk away, when Pansy grabbed the arm of his robes and pulled him back.

Her face was inches from his, her eyes bright with unusual emotion.

They stood there like that for a moment, and then she softly brushed her lips against his.

"I like the way you danced." she whispered, then let go and turned around, and climbed through the portrait hole after quietly whispering a password.

Harry stood, frozen and dumbfounded. 

Pansy Parkinson....had just been matched with him....had been nice to him....had danced with him....and kissed him!

Harry blinked, then made his way back to the Gryffindor tower, wondering if this day could get any stranger.

  
  
  
  


Draco and Ginny, at that moment, were walking towards the Gryffindor tower entrance (which made Ginny very surprised seeing as though she never would have dreamed that Draco Malfoy would ever walk her "home".)

As they approached the portrait hole, Ginny stared up at his piercing gray eyes, which, not for the first time that night, held some warmth.

"Goodnight, little Ginny..." he said huskily.

She stared up at him, and ran her fingers though her hair.

He smiled at this, and ran his own fingers through her mane of red curls.

Then....he leaned his head down...and kissed her.

It was a feeling like Ginny had never felt before...a feeling of utter ecstasy......only felt for a moment.

He pulled away, a bright twinkle in his eyes.

"Sweet dreams."

  
  
  
  


At that moment, Ron and Hermione were inside the common room by the fire.

"I'll see you in the morning..." Hermione said uncomfortably.

"Yeah..."

"So, um, goodnight..."

"Yeah....night.....sweet dreams, Herm."

Hermione looked at his green eyes in wonderment.

Why hadn't she seen it before?

Why hadn't she seen that look that he gave her every time they said goodbye....even for an hour?

But Hermione hadn't noticed it...not until now...and she had a feeling...had this feeling all night, that she was returning that look...

For the first time in her life, Hermione decided to act on impulse.

She leaned over...

  
  
  
  


*Hope you enjoyed this! More to come! And more (and different) POV's I promise!)


	6. Dreaded Monday

Chapter 6

Dreaded Monday

  
  


*Hey everyone...I know I left kinda a cliffhanger there, and I'm sorry, but I have to do it again....just for a little while! Anyways, enjoy!*

  
  


Monday morning. 

The morning Pansy had been both dreading and waiting for.

She knew she had Potions with the Gryffindor's today, which meant she would be in the same class, the same room with Harry for an hour......she didn't quite know what to feel about that.

Saturday night had been so strange....for nearly five years she had been after Draco Malfoy...he had so much power, such awesome looks, a great walk.....

But instead of getting Malfoy, she found out something astounding.

Harry Potter was a very interesting person.

I mean, she thought, I knew he was interesting, with his past and all, but I had no idea that he was interesting like that!

Boy, did he know how to dance!

As she sat on her bed, brushing her blonde hair, she hummed, and Millicent came out from the bathroom.

"What you so happy about?" she said gruffly.

Pansy ignored her, and just kept on brushing. There was no way she was going to let that half-hag spoil her mood. 

She got to see Harry in twenty minutes!

  
  
  
  


Draco could hear humming somewhere nearby, and for the first time in his life, he didn't mind the sound of it, for he would be doing it too....only Crabbe and Goyle would think he was going insane......

Maybe he was....after all, he had kissed Ginny Weasley two nights before.....

No, he wasn't going insane....but something was definitely up....he had never made himself feel so vulnerable as he did on Saturday night... but then....it wasn't as though Ginny was just a regular witch...she was the sister of one of his foe's, she was a year younger than he was, and had once been under the control of Lord Voldemort...she had been through a lot for a fourteen year old girl...and man, oh man...could that girl dance!

As he pulled on his hat, he wondered what kind of treatment her brother was going to give him for getting matched with his little sister....like Ron cared anyways....no, correction, Ron did care, just showed it way too much....Ginny had hardly any adventure in her life because Ron was so overprotective...

But Draco liked Ginny...she was sweet...pretty....vulnerable....and needed him. She liked to be taken care of, he could tell of that already, and he had only truly known her for a day.

Still, he cared for her as he cared for nobody else, which was what truly scared him.

  
  
  
  


Ron sat at the breakfast table, still waiting for Hermione to show up. She had stayed in bed ill the day before, and Ron had a feeling why...

  
  


Hermione hardly ever takes any chances, he thought, and the one time she did she didn't stick around for the consequences...

Not that the consequences would be bad if she had stayed...

Ron had rather enjoyed her action, but he didn't know what her thoughts had been on the subject matter...just because she had been the one to kiss him didn't mean that she had enjoyed it...maybe that was why she stayed in bed yesterday...or it could have been that she was embarrassed...which he was too, but he at least got up.....

Girls, he thought, they don't make any sense at all!

  
  
  
  


*Hope you enjoyed this little change of POV's.....now we know what everyone is thinking....MORE TO COME!*


	7. Distraction and Attraction

Chapter 7

Intervention

  
  


*Now that we know what everyone is thinking, we'll just try everyone's POV...*

  
  


As Harry sat in Potions, he was having immense difficulty with his Fireball Reducer Solution, which was a very easy potion to make...only five ingredients!

But, as he knew, he had a very good reason for being distracted.

Pansy was just another table away from him, and she was looking stunning...her regularly sniffly face beaming at everyone like the sunshine on a day where there were no clouds in sight...

There was a definite change in her since the last potions class only last Thursday, where she had started going ballistic because some of Ron's Acid Potion had gotten onto her robes and burnt a hole in the sleeve...

So, what had changed? Just her attitude, smile, radiance...and Harry had never before noticed how incredibly cute she was when she was happy. Adorable.

He smiled to himself when he could hear her laugh...it was like a chiming of bells...

Harry suddenly came back to life, which, at the moment, was getting worse and worse....Snape stood over him, wearing a twisted smile...

Oh no.

  
  
  
  


Pansy inwardly groaned as Snape smiled meanly at Harry.

She silently cursed him for being so mean to him...it was only because he had hated James Potter, Pansy knew all about that...

"Potter... I see that you are making good use of our time here..."

Snape leaned over Harry's cauldron, his face unreadable.

"Potter, we have been in this classroom for forty five minutes...and you have barely begun your solution.....I have noticed your daydreaming, Potter, I am not stupid..."

"I never said you were, sir..." Harry said in defence, but Snape waved his hand.

" I will not tolerate you talking back, Potter. Get out of my classroom...I just hope you're ready for exams on this in June...it will count very much towards your mark..."

Pansy's eyes narrowed, "Professor, please let him stay, perhaps he's tired..."

"Silence, Miss Parkinson. I will not tolerate nonsense from any of you, so get to work or go join him."

Pansy stood defiantly, "Yes, Professor, I think I will."

With that, she picked up her books, magically emptied her cauldron, and swished out the door, where Harry was heading down the hall.

"Harry!" she called, "Harry, wait!"

She ran after him, to what hoped to be an interesting day.

  
  
  
  


Ginny sat in the library, for this was her free period in the morning that she always went there to catch up on her schoolwork and gossip (when her fellow fourth years were there.)

As she read up on magical fireplaces, in the book called When Floo Goes Bad , she noticed a sound, but as far as she knew, she was alone in the room...Madame Pince had gone out to fetch overdue library books, and she trusted Ginny with all her heart.

It was nothing, she decided, nothing....just the dust settling...

Then she heard it again.

She slowly stood up, and went over to the Restricted Section of the Library, where the sound seemed to be coming from.

She slowly stuck her head around the corner, and-

"AHHHHH!!!!!" she screamed, and fell to the floor.

Draco Malfoy strutted out from behind the bookcase, looking half concerned, half amused.

"Ginny, Ginny, Ginny, whatever are you doing down there?" he smiled slyly as she accepted his hand and pulled her up.

"Draco, you nearly gave me a heart attack! Why are you in here? You're supposed to be in Potions with Ron." Ginny caught her breath.

Draco smiled softly, "I had to see you...besides, I didn't feel like getting a lecture from your brother to stay away from you..." and he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her...

Ginny didn't bother to pull away...until she heard the very unpleasant sound of...

"Miss Weasley!" 

Madame Pince.

  
  
  
  


Draco couldn't believe it. 

He had meant to show Ginny that he did care, not get her in trouble!

Madame Pince had given them both a long lecture, then took off ten points each from their houses.

Still, the way Ginny looked on the ground after he had scared her...hair disheveled...face twisted in terror...purely adorable...

  
  
  
  


Hermione had shown up at the very end of lunch, and had taken a seat far away from Ron in Potions...

She was so embarrassed! 

But furthermore, what was he thinking about it?

Did she disgust him?

Or make his heart pound?

Or just freak him out?

She had no idea, and there was nobody she could ask, either...all of her friends seemed to be changing very quickly, and she knew she was too...

She and Ron would never be the same again.

  
  
  
  


He and Hermione would never be the same again.

He knew it.

She was revolted even at the sight of him...he could tell when she didn't even say hello or make eye contact in potions...she hated the kiss....and that was what was driving him mad, was that he had enjoyed it so much, and that she had been to grossed out to say a word to him edgewise!

Girls!

  
  


*This one was a lot of fun, but I'm getting very sleepy now...seven chapters in one day can be tiring! Thanks for the reviews, I love you guys!*


	8. Meet Me At Midnight

Chapter 8

Meet Me at Midnight

  
  
  
  


*Once again, thanks so much for the reviews...pretty much every POV again...people seem to like it, but I'm a bit tired so don't mind some spelling/ grammar errors:) thanks*

  
  
  
  


As Harry hauled his bookbag down the corridor, he heard footsteps behind him.

"Harry! Harry, wait!"

Pansy.

What was he going to say to her?

There was no time to think about that, before he knew it she was walking alongside him, slightly out of breath.

"Harry, you should have stood up for yourself."

Harry shrugged, "What's the point? It would just lose Gryffindor points, so why bother?"

Pansy cocked her head to one side, "Well, if it means that you won't know how to do the exam material then it is something to bother about..."

"Look, Pansy, it's ok. I know how to deal with Snape...I've been through more than you can imagine with that git..."

Pansy flinched.

Harry realized that she must feel like a traitor to her house, talking about her head teacher like that.

"Panse, I'm sorry...I know he's the head of your house and everything..."

Pansy was now looking at him in surprise.

"What?" he said in bewilderment.

"Panse...I like that..." she smiled despite herself.

Harry went slightly pink.

Pansy suddenly grabbed the sleeve of his robes, and gave him a quick hug.

"Meet me at midnight on the Quidditch pitch." she whispered huskily, brushed her lips against his ear, then smiled slyly at him and rushed off to her next class as the bell rang.

Harry leaned against the wall.

Midnight on the Quidditch pitch alone with Pansy? Interesting...

  
  
  
  


Ginny and Draco (after their little incident in the library) decided to go walk by the lake to see the giant squid.

They weren't touching, but Ginny could feel something between them...something unseen, unheard by everyone...even them up until the Matching Game...

The Matching Game.

It had changed everything...made her world go upside down.

But she liked it.

Really liked it.

When Draco had kissed her in the library that afternoon, it had changed her.

She felt.....different....more mature...like nobody in the world could feel the way that she felt just when she touched him...when he ran his fingers through her hair she felt as though the world was slipping away...and she knew it felt that way for Draco too...she had seen the look of disappointment in himself for getting her in trouble...he hadn't meant to...it was just the way it had worked out.

By now, Ginny could say these things about Draco without thinking "Gin, this is Draco Malfoy we're talking about! The slimy git who always makes fun of your family...?"

Because he was not slimy nor a git...and she liked him...really, really liked him...

  
  
  
  


As he and Ginny strolled by the lake, Draco wondered how this even came to happen.

The Matching Game had changed his life....for the better of course.

Now, he knew, he had Ginny, the prettiest, sweetest thing on earth. 

She was not innocent, he knew that, but she was vulnerable, and he did not want to take advantage of that, no matter how much he really did want to...

It wasn't his fault...it's a guy thing...

Ginny sighed.

"What is it?" he leaned down and whispered.

"Oh nothing..."she smiled knowingly, and he knew what she was thinking of was him.

He wasn't conceited, he just knew her too well now, and knew what that look meant. 

She had that look when he had been spying on her in the library...

Even when they had just been paired she had that look at the table...when they danced...right before he kissed her...

He smiled at the memory, then noticed her watching him with an amused smile on her face.

"Whatcha thinking about?" she said wryly.

"Oh, nothing..." he trailed, and smirked at her.

She stopped walking; he stopped walking.

She stared up at his eyes, and he stared into the ocean green depths of hers...

He felt he could drown in those eyes...

Wait.

Ok, check here? Wasn't he supposed to be evil........

Ginny looked at him with a look of an angel, then leaned up towards him for a kiss......

When they broke apart, Draco whispered in her ear, 

"Meet me at midnight on the Quidditch pitch..."

She nodded, smiled faintly, then turned around to head for the Gryffindor tower

Screw evil...

  
  
  
  


Hermione sat at the dinner table in the Great Hall, feeling distressed.

Harry and Ginny were already at the table, and the only seat left was next to her.

She would have to talk to Ron.

Just then, a red haired boy tentatively spoke from behind her.

"Hey...Herm....this seat taken?"

Hermione shook her head, and he sat down.

"Turnips good?" he asked quietly.

"Delicious."

"Ok."

"Are you really hungry?"

"No."

"Want to go...for a walk?"

"Sure..."

They stood quickly from the table and made their way out to the path.

There was silence until they reached the lake.

"Ron..."

"Hermione..."

"I'm sorry." They said in unison.

There was uneasy laughter, then Ron looked at her straight in the eye.

"Hermione...are you mad at me? Didn't you like...?"

Hermione's eyes widened.

"Oh Ron, you think that I didn't like....? But I was the one who...."

"Yeah, but then you didn't talk to me..."

"But I was terrified....I didn't know how you'd react..."

"But....it was great!"

Silence.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Oh I'm so glad!"

"Why?"

"Well, because I agree with you!"

"Really?" Ron looked at Hermione, trying to see what she was thinking.

It wasn't all that hard.

Her eyes shone with laughter, and her smile had so much more ease than it had for the past few days.

"Hermione?"

"Yes, Ron?"

"Can I- well, can I kiss you?"

"Yes."

Ron came closer, and ran a hand through her long hair.

"You're beautiful."

Hermione chuckled, "Now you really can!"

He laughed quietly in his throat, then slid his hand around her neck and pulled her into a deep kiss, filled with intensity....

Moments later, when Hermione pulled away, Ron looked shocked.

"What?"

"Well, I knew you were smart and a good friend, but I never knew that you could dance and that you're a great kisser!"

Hermione laughed, a carefree laugh that filled the air around them, and wrapped her arms around Ron's neck.

She whispered in his ear, "Meet me at midnight on the Quidditch pitch...We'll....talk..."

She smiled, then walked in the direction of Hagrid's house.

Girls, Ron thought, you've got to love them!


	9. Caught In Actions

Chapter 9

Caught in Actions....

  
  
  
  


*Hey everyone.....I'm gonna try making some chapters longer, see how it works out....thanks for the feedback!*

  
  
  
  


11:46 pm

  
  
  
  


Harry stood, pacing in the Gryffindor common room, nervous about midnight. Should he bring his invisibility cloak? 

Then Pansy would see it, and he didn't know whether that was a good idea or not.

No, he decided, Not this time. Maybe after tonight I can show her some of my secrets...

He grinned despite himself, then glanced around the empty common room, just to double check that nobody would see him leaving.

Then he promptly crawled through the portrait hole, and began on his way to the Quidditch pitch.

  
  
  
  


Pansy stood in the darkest part of the Quidditch field, making sure not to be seen by anybody looking through their windows before they fell asleep.

As she stood there, she ran her fingers through her hair.

He would be here any moment, she thought.

What would she say to him?

Why had she asked him here, at midnight, in a deserted place?

To talk.....or not.....?

Oh well, she thought, What happens, happens, and there's nothing I can do about it until it does.

Her heart leaped.

She saw a figure, lean, tall, coming towards her.

She began to smile.

This would be an interesting night...

  
  
  
  


As Draco walked out onto the pitch, he sighed in relief.

She was already here.

He recognized the female outline, but she looked different....maybe her posture....or her hair?

He looked closer.

Was that Ginny?

Oh well, Draco thought, Let's see then...

  
  
  
  


Ginny nearly ran out onto the pitch, for she knew she was late...she had somehow fallen asleep on her books in her dormitory, and had woken up at eleven fifty-nine!

Luckily she was already in her robes, and she had raced down the stairs to get outside.

As she came from the Gryffindor exit, she saw a figure, right ahead of her, walking in the same direction.

"Draco!" she half screamed, half whispered.

He stopped, and turned around.

But it wasn't Draco

It was Harry.

  
  
  
  


Hermione, always on time, got to the pitch early, for she couldn't wait to see Ron.

What a great kisser he was!

Not that I have much to compare him to..., she thought wryly.

Only Viktor, she thought, and he was stiff, and formal.

Besides that, she hadn't seen him for about seven months, since her parents refused to let her go to Bulgaria alone, let alone to be with a boy.

Oh well, she thought, all's well that ends well...

She glanced at her watch, which read 12:07.

Where is he? She thought, just when she felt a pair of arms circle her waist.

"Hey Herm..."

Hermione smiled.

"Hi, Ron..."

She turned around, gave him a smile, and moved her head to one side when he leaned down to kiss her.

This was going to be hard to let go of when they had to go back to bed...she thought.

But then her thoughts vanished in an instant as Ron deepened the kiss...

  
  
  
  


What was going on?

Why was Ginny out here, and why did she call him Draco?

"Ginny?" Harry called quietly.

Ginny stood on the spot, like a deer in headlights.

Then she blinked, and walked slowly over to him.

"Hey! Harry! What are you doing out here.....at this time of night....?"

"I could ask you the same thing!"

"Well, I had a matter that I had to discuss with someone...and this is where we decided to meet....and.....and....why are you here?"

Harry thought for a moment.

"Same reason..."

"Oh."

"Well..."

Harry was just about to say goodnight when he heard a surprised yell from across the field.

  
  


Pansy couldn't believe what had just happened.

Maybe choosing the darkest place wasn't the best idea...

She had just screamed because, the person she had just greeted with a sweet, would-have-been-long kiss, pulled back, she saw the silvery-white hair shine in the moonlight.

Draco.

  
  
  
  


Draco scolded himself immensely.

How could you have thought that Pansy was Ginny, you git? He asked himself as he backed away from the surprised Pansy.

Wait...why was Pansy out here in the first place?

"Draco! Why did you...didn't you recognize...why are you out here...?" Pansy said, with distress in her voice.

"Well, I..."

He would have answered if he hadn't heard feet coming across the pitch from behind him.

He turned around to see Ginny, and ...Potter?

"Draco!?" Ginny breathed.

"Ginny! There you are! I thought that Pansy was you...it's really dark, don't you think?" Draco went a shade of pink that he was happy nobody could see.

"Harry! Ooh, I'm glad you're here...Hey! Draco, why were you looking for....Ginny?" Pansy asked cautiously, edging towards Harry.

"Well, why were you looking for Potter?"

"Uh......"

"Oh for goodness sakes!" Harry pulled out his wand and muttered, "Lumos."

Suddenly, everyone could see.

Draco looked at Ginny, who was looking confused and worried.

Potter just looked confused.

As always, he thought nastily.

Pansy just looked disgusted.

"Look, none of this is anyone else's business, so why don't we just move along...?" Ginny said loudly, then gasped.

Emerging from the shadows, stood Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, joined at the lip, and didn't notice that four other people were there.

"Ron!" Harry and Ginny gaped, and Ron's and Hermione's eyes fluttered open.

They pulled apart, noticed the crowd, then both went bright red.

Draco began to laugh, then Ginny, Harry, Pansy, and eventually Ron and Hermione joined them, all the while all wheezing things like:

"What the hell?"

"What were you guys doing?"

"Where did you come from...?"

  
  


It could have been because they were all so tired, or because the situation was too laughable, but they just laughed and laughed until they decided that it was time to go back to bed. The next day was a different situation, though...

  
  
  
  



	10. Sweetness, Sarcasm & Safety

Chapter 10

Sweetness, Sarcasm, and Safety

  
  


*I had a review where somebody asked what a git was (which has been used in the HP books a millions times...;)) but here is the definition: A silly or contemptible person. Hope you guys like this chapter!*

  
  
  
  


The next morning Harry awoke with a groan. 

He was so tired, he hadn't gotten to bed until one, and it was six now!

Then he sighed, remembering last night....sweet Pansy....and all the others....

We just couldn't stop laughing, he thought, I wonder what today's gonna be like?

Just then, he heard Ron snort beside him, and Harry rolled over to see if he was awake.

Ron's eyes were wide open, and staring at Harry.

"Hi," Harry said groggily, then sat to get up.

Ron just kept staring at him.

"What?" Harry asked, after Ron didn't move.

"You and Pansy Parkinson..." Ron began to chuckle.

Harry went red, "Yeah? So? What's the problem? If you actually got to know her..."

Ron waved his hand.

"It's ok. Hey! I'll bet that the whole school knows about me and Hermione now...since we were so loud when we came in last night..."

Harry laughed.

He and Ron were ok....but what about the rest of them?

  
  
  
  


As Pansy sat at the breakfast table, Draco sat gracefully next to her.

"Hey..."

"Hi, Draco."

"I'm sorry about last night...."

"You didn't know, it's ok..."

They spoke in hushed voices, but some people seemed to hear what they were saying and giving each other quizzical looks.

"So....you're with Potter? Never would have known you'd go that far, Pansy." Draco smirked at her.

Pansy felt her blood boil.

"Well, I could say the same thing about you and Little Miss Weasley over there!" she said, rather loudly.

Now they were getting really strange looks.

"Ok, Pansy. Let's keep this quiet, alright? Only talk about this when we're in private...? We know we don't want our entire house to know that we're interested in Gryffindors, do we?" Draco whispered.

Pansy shook her head after a short hesitation.

If her friends found out how she felt about Harry, then she knew she wouldn't have any more friends.

  
  
  
  


Draco smirked as he watched the look on Potter's face when he saw Pansy sitting next to him.

He's not jealous, Draco thought, slightly disappointed, but he's definitely worried...good. Serves him right.

What a world this was.....he, Draco Malfoy, involved with a Weasley. A Gryffindor Weasley.

And Pansy! She was involved with the most famous Gryffindor there was, Mr. Saintly-Holier-Than-Thou- Harry Potter!

The only ones who actually made any sense were Weasley and Granger...many people had seen that coming for a long, long time.... it was just amazing that Granger lightened up enough that she would let Weasley touch her.

Draco let out a small laugh as he saw them approaching the table, not touching at all.

He supposed they (really meaning Hermione) had wanted to keep the whole situation quiet, until somebody found out without meaning to, like he, Pansy, Potter, and Ginny, had the night before.

Ginny.

There she was, dressed in her black robes, with her tall witches hat looking cute on her, accenting her Irish-looking features...she really was beautiful...Draco smiled despite himself.

She was all his....

  
  
  
  


Ginny smiled faintly across the room where Draco sat with the Slytherins, staring at her.

I love the way he looks at me, she thought, and I was right, that day we were matched...he can see into my soul...I can tell by the way he acts...how he knows everything that I'm feeling...

Draco Malfoy.

The name didn't sound in the least menacing anymore.

It sounded sweet.....sensual....safe...

She came out of her little daydream, noticing that Hermione was giving her a look that said, 'You are so in love'.

Ginny blushed, then began to eat her eggs, knowing that Draco was still watching her.

Last night had been quite the comedy, but Ginny didn't know how Draco felt about it.

She wasn't bothered in the least that Pansy had accidentally kissed Draco, she had heard the disgusted yells and knew it was an honest mistake.

As for the aspect of Pansy and Harry, Ginny nearly laughed out loud.

She still couldn't believe the chemistry that they had...and Ginny knew that they had it, she saw it every time she saw them together, which, lately, was a lot.

She was quite happy with the outcome of Ron and Hermione, though, since Hermione had always seemed quite like a sister to her, it would be so sweet and cute if she ended up really being her sister!

Ginny smiled to herself.

She owed a big thank you to the teachers and The Matching Game.

  
  
  
  
  
  


As Hermione ate her eggs, Ron leaned over very close to her.

"Last night was pretty embarrassing, huh?"

Hermione smiled faintly.

"Yes. Very."

"But we're going to keep this quiet until rumours start, right?"

"Yes."

"And when they start...?"

"We come out and explain the situation so that nobody at the rumour mill can make anything more up that is totally ridiculous."

"Ok."

Hermione and Ron sat in silence for a moment, then heard the faint sounds of what sounded like...smooching!

Both of them raised their eyes across the table to see Fred and George, grinning evilly, and sucking on their arms simultaneously.

Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron, who went brick red, and muttered.

"Iritie Quietus Finite."

Two long rolls of duct tape appeared out of thin air and rolled themselves around the twins' mouths, making everyone at the Gryffindor table, and a few tables besides, laugh hysterically.

Hermione gave a sarcastic, self-satisfied smirk and the twins and at Ron, then got back to her eggs. 

  
  



	11. Don't Judge A Book

Chapter 11

Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover.....

  
  
  
  


*This chapter was fun....but lately we've seen Draco and Pansy act very out of character....well, the past always comes back to haunt you...*

  
  
  
  


Harry sat in the Gryffindor Common Room, unable to concentrate on his Divination homework.

All he could think was.....Pansy.

It all came back to Pansy.

He'd missed his Quidditch practise on Saturday morning because he had been so out of it that he hadn't remembered, and now the entire team was mad at him....and Harry had the strangest suspicion that it wasn't just because of the missed practise...he had seen Anglina and Alicia staring at him in awe this morning when he had been staring across the room at Pansy.

Well, that's not fair! He thought, I don't sneer at their matches!

Then again, he thought gravely, Fred and George Weasley weren't ones to sneer at.

Harry sighed.

For once, since the Matching Game, he felt himself wishing that he was matched with a Gryffindor...

  
  
  
  


Pansy sat in the cold dungeon that was the Slytherin common room, and shivered.

My life has been so strange for the last few days, she thought to herself.

As she stared at the staircase leading up to the boys dormitories, she saw Draco strut down the staircase with Crabbe and Goyle at his side. They were laughing about something, but when Draco saw Pansy he stopped in midstep. 

Then he gave Crabbe and Goyle a look that made Pansy uneasy, then they quickened their pace, and rushed out the portrait hole.

Hmmm, Pansy thought, That's strange...

  
  
  
  


Draco sighed in relief as he escaped through the portrait hole.

"Whew." he said to Crabbe and Goyle, who were looking confused, as always.

"Didn't feel like talking to her." he explained, then kept on walking.

The reason that he didn't want to talk to Pansy really wasn't that he didn't feel like talking to her, it was just that he was still trying to figure out why she would she would fall for somebody like Potter...

I mean, I know that's the kind of guy Ginny used to be interested in, Draco thought, then winced.

The thought of Ginny and Harry made him want to be sick.

Like Harry deserved her.

Like he did either...

He pushed his hair out of his eyes while walking down the corridor just in time to see Ron Weasley pushing through the Gryffindor portrait hole.

Goyle sniggered.

"Weasley is stupid." crooned Crabbe.

Draco laughed nervously, looked around, then smirked.

"Yeah, I know, the muggle-loving fool's family should have taught him better...and you'd think he'd try dying that hair, it's so red you'd think his head were on fire..." Draco was on a roll, "And his sister! Why, the dumpy little witch couldn't do a proper potion if her life counted on it! She's just as annoying and un-intelligent as he git brother!"

Just as Crabbe and Goyle began to laugh, Draco heard a whimpering sound from behind him.

He closed his eyes, and turned around, dreading what he would see.

When he opened his eyes, he immeadiatly lowered them to the ground.

Ginny.

She was pale, with one delicate hand covering her mouth in shock.

Then she shook her head in disbelief, her eyes brimming with tears.

She turned, and bolted.

Oh no, Draco thought in pain, Oh no.

  
  
  
  


Ginny ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

Draco.

Her Draco.

She had never felt so humiliated in her entire life.

He had used her, had used her as a joke to his brainless friends.

She let out a sob as the tears cascaded down her cheeks.

She stopped, out of breath, and opened the door to an empty classroom.

What was she going to do?

  
  
  
  


Hermione smiled as Ron entered the common room.

"Hey," she said, coming up behind him.

He turned around, "Hey, Herm..."

She could see the pained look on his face, and frowned slightly.

"Ron?"

He looked at her in the eye, and she knew something was wrong.

"Yeah, Herm? What do you need?"

Hermione was taken aback.

"What do you mean, what do I need? I just came up to you to talk..." she looked at him, wide eyed.

"Yeah, well, we don't want anyone to see us together, do we? I mean, it would give us away, don't you think?" he said, a nasty undertone in his voice.

Hermione eyed him cautiously, "Why do you say that? We're friends, Ron. We have been for five years, and people are used to seeing us together."

Ron shot her a mean smile, "Yeah, but not talking. Not without fighting, or somehow insulting each other."

"Well, it seems that there's no difference, now, right?" she shot back, red faced.

"I guess not!" Ron exclaimed, red as a tomato.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later then!" Hermione shouted.

"Fine!" Ron yelled.

"Fine!" Hermione stormed up to her dormitory, leaving a shocked Ron in the common room, feeling sorry for himself.

  
  


*Hey all you r/h, d/g fans, don't worry, you won't be disappointed...you'll just have to wait till the next chapter! Hee Hee, aren't I evil????:)


	12. Misunderstanding

Chapter 12

Misunderstanding

  
  
  
  


As Pansy lay awake in her bed, she had a million questions swirling through her head.

Why had Draco and his friends avoided her today?

Why had she cared?

Why had Harry avoided her today?

Was he mad at her?

Did she do something wrong??

No, Pansy thought, I couldn't have. The last time I really talked to him was last night.... I haven't talked to him in almost twenty four hours! Besides, in her opinion, other than the little mix-up of her and Draco, they had a very lovely evening....

Pansy smiled despite her worry.

Oh, well, she thought, I'll talk to him tomorrow and make everything feel better...today was just busy.

And with that, she drifted off to sleep, full of dreams of a mysterious boy with black hair, green eyes, and a scar that stood out from a mile away...

  
  
  
  


Harry yawned.

It was one in the morning, and he still hadn't been able to fall asleep.

He had just finished his homework fifteen minutes ago, since he had a big distraction on his mind....well, a question, really.

Why was he and Pansy matched?

The more Harry tried to think of a reason, the more he couldn't.

It just doesn't make sense, he thought to himself, Why us, out of the entire school? We're so uncompatible...well, at least I thought we were...until I got to know her...but still. She's a Slytherin! We're supposed to hate each other...This is really strange...Just like the rest of my life has been. Oh well. I'll try to get to sleep so I won't have to think about this anymore...I'm getting a headache.

So, Harry fell almost instantly into a stupor that someone could have called sleep, but he wouldn't have called it that himself, because he couldn't even get away from her in his dreams.

  
  
  
  


Draco felt the blood drain from his face as he chased Ginny down the hallway, Crabbe and Goyle still standing in their original spot dumbly, wondering what to do.

"Ginny!" he called, and felt a horrible fear.

What if he lost her, really, for good?

As he continued to chase her, he saw her flaming red hair sweep into Professor McGonagalls' empty classroom.

He slowed down, and cautiously approached the door, short of breath.

"Ginny?"

  
  
  
  


Ginny felt her sadness float away at the sound of his voice, to be replaced by a burning fury that inflamed her chest.

"How dare you! How dare you, make a fool of me, and my family, and don't even have the decency to tell me that you're not interested! You make me want to convulse in sickness, vomit up all over your horrible face! Now, Malfoy, I mean it, LEAVE ME ALONE!" she shrieked, leapt off the desk that she had been sitting on, stalked towards him, and shut the door in his face.

The she sighed as she heard him pounding at the door, which she had just locked with a clever charm that her mother had taught her that summer.

"Please, Ginny, please let me in!" Draco shouted from behind the locked door.

"And why should I give you any of my precious time, Malfoy? So you can make fools of me and my family in my face instead of behind my back? Oh, yes I forgot. You wouldn't have the guts to do that because you're not enough of a man!"

And with that, she shoved her fingers in her ears, and waited for the pounding to stop.

  
  
  
  


Hermione sat on her bed, reading, and wondering how things could have gone so awry.

Just last night, she and Ron hadn't have been able to get their hands off each other, and now, tonight, she felt like placing her hands around his throat!

Well, no, she thought, not really like that...I mean, I'm to blame too....he just took what I said a little too seriously.....but I suppose he thinks that I'm ashamed of him or something...maybe I should apologize....NO! I have to stand my ground. It's not my fault he's the stubborn one in this relationship...

  
  
  
  


Ron sat in the common room still, staring at the fire.

How had things gotten like this?

Maybe he had blown things a little out of per portion.... maybe not.

Maybe I should just ask her why she didn't want us out in the open.

I mean, she couldn't be ashamed, could she?

No, he decided, she couldn't be. After all, I am her friend.....

She wouldn't be ashamed....

Would she?

  
  
  
  


*Hey, sorry this chapter was a little short....more to come soon, I swear! Sorry for the wait...I do have a life! LOL.....anyways, until next time.....thanks for readin!*


	13. Intervention

Sweet & Sour: The Matching Game

By Emma

Chapter Thirteen

  
  
  
  


Harry awoke the next morning with a groan.

"Pansy?" he murmured, then sat up, wide awake.

"God, Potter, get ahold of yourself."

He muttered to himself as he got out of bed.

He had dreamed of her all night.

Why can't I get her out of my mind? He thought desperately, I mean, its not as though I'm in love with her or anything...

"I've smeorriiess..." Harry heard Ron snort into his pillow as he slept.

Well, well, Harry thought, it's looking like I'm not the only one with something on my mind...

  
  
  
  


Harry was right.

Pansy had awoken with a start, the thought in her head had been Harry LOVES me.

She gulped. 

She had never told anyone this, but once in awhile she got some very accurate premonitions... and they always came to her when she was just about to wake up.

It was too strange.

Harry Potter loved her?

How could she know this?

Did he even know?

Maybe I'm overreacting to a dream or something, she mused, or maybe it's real... what if it's real? What will my friends say?

Pansy was sweating in her flannel nightshirt, so she decided to get dressed.

After all, she did have to go to class.

With him.

He loved her.

Harry. Potter. Loved. Her.

This was just too strange.

  
  
  
  


Ginny awoke with a yawn, then her eyes widened.

She was staring up at the face of a shocked Professor McGonagall.

"Miss Weasley, may I ask what you are doing down there?"

Ginny sat up, and realized where she was.

She must have fallen asleep in the empty classroom last night... Draco hadn't left her alone, and she had been very tired...

"Oh, Professor, I'm sorry. I just..." she trailed, not knowing how to explain the situation.

Just then, Draco appeared from behind the Gryffindor teacher.

"Ginny," he murmured.

Ginny's face hardened.

Obviously, Professor McGonagall noticed this and turned to him.

"Mr. Malfoy, why are you in my classroom?"

"I am here concerning Miss Weasley, Professor. I tried to talk to her last night and she locked herself into the classroom all night. That's why I got a first year to come and fetch you." he said smoothly.

Ginny flushed.

He was too smooth for his own good.

She had fallen for that smoothness, in more than one way.

In the way that she thought he was interested, in the way that she thought he actually cared about her and her family... in the way she had fallen in love with him...

She shook her head slightly.

She was not in love with this slimy creature!

He had used her, abused her, and betrayed her, and there was no way that he could ever love or be loved.

Draco Malfoy had no heart.

  
  
  
  


Draco sighed inwardly.

Once he had told the Professor his story, she had thanked him curtly and then sent him off to breakfast.

He had wanted her to open her classroom so that he could talk to Ginny, not give her a perfect escape route!

He hung his head in shame from what he said last night.

I can't believe I hurt her like that, he thought sadly.

Then he smirked.

Oh well.

Little Miss Weasley has another thing coming if she thinks I'm giving up this easily.

And with that thought, he strutted down the hall, plotting his next plan to make Ginny his.

  
  
  
  


Hermione sat at the breakfast table, just as she did every day, beside Ron.

He had only said a meek "Hi" when he had sat down, and she had tried her best to smile brightly.

This relationship stuff was harder than she thought.

Perhaps I can find a book that can tell me something...

Then she grimaced.

Another book. How very like...herself.

Then, with that thought (which, in her brain, Ron had said) she turned to face Ron. She put her hands to his face, turned it, and with a shocked expression from Ron, kissed him hard on the lips.

Once they parted, Ron flushed.

"Herm...you're amazing..."

Hermione smiled.

"I'm sorry about earlier. I want us out in the open. I was just worried."

Ron nodded, "I was a little scared too."

He grinned sheepishly.

Just as Hermione was about to open her mouth again, she heard a hoot coming from George and Fred in unison.

Hermione laughed, and Ron went brick red.

"Oh, you two. How did you keep it a secret for so long?" George said sarcastically.

"Nobody could even guess..." Fred winked.

"It was so sudden..."

"Oh, we know. We didn't even figure it out until a few days ago," Hermione smiled at them, then kissed Ron's cheek, "Thank heavens that you two were here to tell us."

  
  
  
  


*Whaddaya think? I like Ron and Herm as a couple, they're just so cute! Please, as always, Read and Review!*


	14. Scars and Worries

Chapter Fourteen

Scars and Worries

  
  
  
  


As Harry entered the Potions dungeon, he saw that the Slytherins, as usual, had already taken their seats.

Harry sat down at the table next to Pansy's, but avoided her eyes.

What had happened?

All of a sudden, he felt hot...and sweaty...like he was living, but in a very strange dream indeed...

Suddenly, he felt a sear of pain across his forehead, and then he was floating into darkness...

  
  
  
  


Pansy shuddered.

The last hour had been brutal.

Just after finding out that morning that Harry could possibly be in love with her, he had collapsed in Potions.

At first, Professor Snape had thought nothing of it, just ordered him to get up.

After he had sneered and offered use of Veritaserum, he seemed to realize that Harry was not faking it, after all.

Pansy remembered the feeling she had gotten when she saw him collapse.

She felt sorry, and terrified, because the look that was on his face before he had passed out was one of pain and terror, and Pansy didn't know why.

Maybe his scar hurt, she thought anxiously, as she sat in the waiting room of the infirmary.

That couldn't be a good sign.

She sat in the waiting room after fleeing right at the end of Potions, missing Care of Magical Creatures at the moment.

But, she really couldn't care less about anything other than Harry.

Was he all right? What had happened? Could she help?

Would he forgive her for not talking to him for the past few days?

Pansy sat, her hands shaking uncontrollably, utterly confused.

  
  
  
  


As Ginny made her way down to the Great Hall for dinner, she could think of nothing but him...Malfoy.

She couldn't understand why he had led her on the way he did.

How could any warm blooded creature do that to an innocent young girl?

Oh, well I suppose that I'm not *that* innocent, but still...

She smiled, despite her anger.

They did have a couple of good times, no doubt about it, but she hated the way that she knew that he wasn't real...it was corrupting her memories, the knowledge that his feelings weren't true.

It was utterly unfair.

Just then, she saw Ron pass, whom she hadn't seen all day.

"Ron?" she said with concern as she saw the look on his face.

"Ginny! I've been looking everywhere for you, and Fred, and George..." he said, wiping his brow.

Ginny frowned, "What is it?"

"Something happened in Potions class today..." Ron gulped.

Ginny felt a cold dread wash over her.

Had something happened to Draco?

"Its Harry..."

Ginny felt herself loosen with relief, then inwardly slapped herself in disgust.

How could she be so worried about somebody that she didn't even care about, and how could she be so much more relieved when her friend had been hurt?

"Harry?" she whispered.

Ron nodded, " He collapsed in Potions this morning... he's in the hospital wing, he still hasn't woken up, he's been there for hours... I don't think its good, Gin, I don't....nobody will tell us anything, and Dumbledore and nearly all the teachers have been to see him to try and figure out if it was a curse or something....Something isn't right with this, Gin, I can feel it."

Ginny's eyes widened.

"No - nobody knows what's wrong? But Madam Pomfrey...and Dumbledore...couldn't they...?"

Ron's eye was twitching, which was something that only happened when he was hurt, stressed, upset or angry. Ginny could only guess which of the four was prevalent. 

Ginny held out her arms to her brother, and he hugged her quickly.

"Don't you worry yourself about it, Gin," he said gruffly, "I just thought that you should know...I'll be upstairs in the infirmary if you need me, ok?"

Ginny nodded.

"Do you want me to bring you up some dinner?"

Ron shook his head, "I don't think I'm going to be in the mood to eat...Herm and Pansy are up there too, they looked pretty green when I left. I'll talk to you later, ok?"

She nodded again, and watched his back disappear in the dark corridor.

She prayed that Harry would be all right.

What would happen if he wasn't?

  
  
  
  


Draco sat in the Great Hall, eating his bangers and mash when he saw Ginny enter the enchanted room.

She looked beautiful, but something was on her mind..

He decided to be adventurous.

As he approached the Gryffindor table, he received some very confused looks.

She didn't seem to notice him until he was right in front of her.

"Ginny?"

Her face hardened.

"Ginny, listen to me. I want you to know that-"

Ginny stood up to him, eye to eye, and whispered with such a malice that Draco had ever heard, "Stay away from me, *Slytherin*."

Draco's eyes flashed, and then he smirked.

"All the same to me, Weasley," he shrugged her off, turning, "Just thought you might want to know that your precious Potter is sitting in the hospital wing, near death. Even Dumbledore doesn't know what's wrong with him... but if you don't want to know, I'm happy to leave this...*perky* little table."

He strutted away, not looking back, for if he had faced her, she would have seen the sheer pain in his eyes.

  
  
  
  


Hermione hadn't stopped pacing for three hours, and she was getting quite tired.

Pansy sat on a chair, looking anxious, and Ron hadn't gotten back from the Gryffindor Common Room yet.

For those hours (which dragged on and on) Hermione and Pansy basked in the silence.

Hermione would have said something, if she wasn't afraid of getting a piece of the famous Slytherin Lip, which she really didn't need at this very moment.

She was really getting frightened, for every teacher, from Flitwick to Dumbledore to Snape had entered the room where Harry lay, trying to figure out his ailment.

Oh, he's just gone through too much lately...I hope he's all right...I don't know what if would be like here without him...No, Hermione, stay positive, you must keep your head.

Just then, Ron burst into the room.

"Anything?" he asked, the epitome of hope.

Hermione shook her head, and his own dropped in disappointment. His shoulders slumped as he conjured a chair to sit on.

Hermione suddenly had a thought.

If anything did happen to Harry, how would Ron react?

Hermione gulped as she watched the sweat drip down Ron's furrowed brow.

Oh, do let him be all right...

  
  
  
  


Ron sat in silence in the waiting room, knowing that Hermione was watching him intently, but all he could think about was his best friend...Harry.

Oh, god.


	15. Falling, Money and Screams

Chapter 15

Falling, Money and Screams

Harry could feel himself spinning. He'd been falling for hours, and he couldn't stop. 

Where was the ground?

He had been waiting for the pain to stop, but it hadn't.

What was happening?

Where was he?

Where was Ron...and Hermione...and Pansy?

He had been in Potions, and just started falling...

What had happened to them?

Were they falling in this unknown darkness too?

All of a sudden, he felt a hand in his, and opened his eyes, which he hadn't realized had been closed. All he could see was a flash of white, and heard a scream.

Where was he?

  
  
  
  


Pansy shut her eyes in disbelief. 

Professor Dumbledore had just been in Harry's room, but had come out looking grim. 

We must keep trying, he had said to Madame Pomfrey.

Why couldn't she help Harry?

She couldn't take it anymore.

She stood up and walked briskly over to Dumbledore.

"Professor? What's wrong with him? Can you help?" she said, trying not to be hysterical.

Professor Dumbledore stared down at her, his blue eyes no longer twinkling.

"Miss Parkinson, we are doing our best. You will hear of any changes in Harry's condition..."

"Yes, sir, I know, but what's wrong with him? You've told us that you're doing everything, but you haven't even explained the situation. What happened in Potions? Why is Harry lying in that room, the infirmary, near dead?" Her voice broke as the last two words passed her lips. The Headmaster looked sadly down at her.

"My dear, we don't know. We just don't know."

She let out a sob, which she muffled with the sleeve of her robe.

She felt a hand on her arm, which belonged to Hermione, with eyes full of tears. Pansy, who had never liked Hermione, felt a pang of sympathy. 

She had only known Harry for a matter of weeks. Hermione had been a best friend of his for years. 

"Oh, Hermione!" she cried out, and embraced her. Hermione stiffened, but loosened again and returned the hug.

Pansy pulled back with a red, wet face. 

"What are we going to do?" she moaned as Ron approached them. He let out a shaky sigh.

"We'll just have to wait and see....just wait and see..." he said quietly, sitting down in an armchair and closing his eyes.

  
  
  
  


Meanwhile, Ginny had just stormed out of the Great Hall, steaming.

Where did he get his nerve?

How dare he approach her like that, being so smug...

But he was trying to help, said a little voice in her head.

"No he wasn't!" she said aloud as she approached the common room entrance.

"Who wasn't what?"

Oh no. She knew that voice.

Smug. Satisfied. Low. Laughing.

She turned around sharply.

"What do you want, Death Eater?" she said simply. He smirked at her.

"I was just wondering why you stalked off in such a hurry...angry at someone, Gin?" He leaned against the stone wall and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Why do you care? Is it any matter to a Slytherin ass as to what I'm thinking and feeling? It's not like you could relate, seeing as though you're void of a heart or a soul..." she trailed, watching his expression change.

"Ginny, what in the world is the matter with you today? I mean, nasty words for a little girl to say, especially to someone so much bigger and stronger..."

Her heart raced. This was the thrill of the first conversation they'd had. 

No!

She couldn't start idealizing about it being a flirty game again.

Well, it wasn't a game in the first place, for him...he had won, making a total fool out of her. She wasn't going to fall for that again.

"Oh...an underfed older Slytherin who I could whip to the ground in less than a second is bigger and stronger, Malfoy? You really think so?"

His eyebrows rose.

"Well, let's see, Ginny. Try to get me on the ground and we'll see who's more powerful."

His smile was evil. She opened her mouth in disgust, even though her heart was pounding a mile a minute at the though of wrestling him to the ground...

NO! She had to stop this.

He must have seen the look on her face, because his smile widened.

"Yes, yes.." he murmured, "I'll bet you anything, though money isn't an issue for me. What shall we bet, Little Gin Gin?"

Ginny opened her mouth to retort, but he beat her to it,

"Oh! Ok, let's bet...I'll give you a hundred galleons if you can get me to the ground, and if you can't, I let you off easy anyways, let you scamper off to your common room. Deal?"

She considered, then imitated his evil smirk.

"Deal."

He rubbed his hands together, "Let's see what you've got, Weasley."

He lunged at her.

She pulled away, grabbed the collar of his robes, and plunged down onto the ground, pulling him with her.

"Oh, so there!" she groaned triumphantly, "Malfoy, get off of me!"

He smiled, their faces inches apart.

"One hundred galleons for you..." he whispered, and her eyes widened.

Now she understood. Another ploy. 

Before she could try to stand up, his lips were pressing hers.

She didn't even try to resist. She may have been stronger than Draco physically, but there was no way she was strong enough to pull away now....

  
  


Still in the hospital wing, Hermione sat in one of the armchairs between Pansy and Ron. What a day, she thought tiredly. 

Before that day, Hermione had wondered why Harry had bothered getting involved with Pansy. Today, though, she saw the person that Harry could see. Sweet - sort of, and caring, and worried.

She was slumped beside Hermione, asleep. Hermione sighed.

Just as she thought she might nod off, she heard a scream from inside Harry's room. It awoke Pansy, and Ron went white.

That was Harry's scream.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_______

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


Guys, this story is from TWO YEARS AGO. My account got deleted awhile back and I lost 559 reviews for this story as well as my entire upload section. Therefore I have to re-type the chapters I had thankfully printed before it was deleted. My very first fanfiction, EVER. Be kind, you don't have to read it, I just like having it here. And it's true. THE first Harry/Pansy story on the net. :D

Ron's eyes widened. Harry's voice. Harry's....scream.

Did that mean he was awake? Alright? Safe?

Unlikely, he thought. His heart pounded furiously, and he began to sweat.

He had the feeling that something was seriously wrong, and that hearing Harry's scream meant that he was in pain...not safe. Not awake.

Oh, oh please....let him be ok...let him be alive....please.....


End file.
